Every startup founder has a picture of the perfect product in their head: with dozens of features, impeccable design, and the ability to change the world. And the biggest trap is to spend a year and all the resources on creating this "ideal" in order to eventually realize that no one needs it.

LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman once said, "If you're not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you launched too late."

This phrase perfectly describes the philosophy of MVP — Minimum Viable Product.

What is an MVP really?

It is important to understand that an MVP is not just a "raw" or unfinished version of a product.

MVP is the earliest version of a product that brings key value to the first group of users and allows them to gather maximum knowledge about them at minimal cost.

It is created not to impress, but to test your main hypothesis: "Do people even need what we do?".

Why do I need an MVP?

1. To test a hypothesis, not to build illusions. Your main task at the start is not to create a masterpiece, but to find the answer to the question: is there a problem that you are trying to solve?
2. To save resources. MVP protects you from spending months and thousands of dollars developing features that will eventually become unnecessary.
3. To get real feedback. The feedback from users who have paid for your product (even if it's with time, not money) is a hundred times more valuable than any surveys and opinions from friends.
4. To enter the market quickly. While competitors are polishing their "perfect" product, you are already learning from real users and iteratively improving your own.

In conclusion:

Don't fall in love with your product, fall in love with your customer's problem. MVP is the most honest and fastest way to check if you are really solving it. Yes, he can be ugly, narrow-minded, and a little embarrassing. But it works and provides invaluable data. Don't be afraid to start small.